January 24th, 1974 (2)
Ain't No Party Like a Sewertown Party Because a Sewertown Party Gives You Dysentery LAST TIME ON SANFORD & SON... As the group wandered an abandoned floodway near the LA river for a group of Strangers hiding underground, they were ambushed by a group of Silence Cultists and their giant robot. The crew had dispatched all but one of the cultists, who was last seen darting off deeper into the tunnels. The robot had begun whirring up massive gatling guns on it's arms, levelling them at anything still left standing. Morph has taken refuge up on one of the supports within the giant chamber, holding tight to hide himself from enemy fire. Glenn and Ciaran are both holding rifles and taking cover behind pillars. Pulse is shaking the machine. Shaking it so hard. Pogo is hovering above the machine, after having just hit the damn thing. Gravedancer is lying around like a dead person, mostly. Prodigy squints, looking after where the last Cultist fled, hiding behind one of the pillars with a KO'd cultist not too far from him, gun still in the cultists hand. The tankbot lets loose an ear splitting extended burst of gatling gun fire for what feels like ages. Bullets fly in a sweeping arc across the giant room, ripping and richocheting off the support columns the majority of the group are using for cover. Prodigy is on the goddamn HUNT. The tankbot's fire abates for a short period, it sounds like it's reloading internally. Prodigy sees the last cultist behind a pillar on the far side of the room, he has something in his hand and is peaking around his column. Prodigy takes a moment, readying to make a break for it when there's a break in the fire. Morph hides from the barrage. Pulse may... have lost his hold on shaking that thing down. He'll shift to more stable cover if his seems like it's going to crack soon. The tankbot continues to rumble from Pulse's subtle manipulations. It's still holding together though. It sounds like it's nearly finished reloading. Prodigy is just a stone's throw from the cultist in hiding. He could dash for it... Prodigy breaks into a sprint, going tight for the cultist on the other side of the room. Going ham. The cultist is bowled over and flat on his back now. He drops what he was holding and it goes sliding across the floor. Ciaran looks to Glenn for some sign of what to do. Glenn waves a hand at Ciaran, then holds two fingers up to his eyes then motions to the tankbot with his hand in a gun gesture. Seems like a practiced set of signals. He then quickly huddles around to the other side of the pillar, poking his head around the side for just a second. He readies his gun, peeks around the corner and shoots. Ciaran opens fire from cover on the tankbot to get it's attention. It takes the hits one after the other on it's still armored side, still slowly reloading. Glenn's shots hit the robot on the section Pogo exposed with her attacks. One of the bullets hits some thick rubber tubing and a viscous liquid begins spraying out. The tankbot's left arm sags considerably. Pogo hits it with her ...foot or something. Pogo gets grease all over her. But fortunately for her, her next hit is on the thing sends it to it's knees. It's having difficulty staying up now. Pogo flies pretty far back after hitting it, fuck she's all dirty now. SILENCE Cultist The cultist swings his fist at Prodigy who now has him on the ground. He slugs him in the side of the face weakly, trying to force him off. The tankbot just sits there. It reloaded what seemed like ages ago but it won't fire now. What's the deal? Prodigy rubs his jaw where he was hit, taking a moment. He looks down at the Cultist, deadpan expression fixed. Morph peeks out from his position up on one of the columns. He calls out down to the others, "Did you break it?" SILENCE Cultist head hits the concrete with the hit, his jaw cracking as Prodigy connects. He's out like a light. Prodigy stands, going to pick up the remote control and give it a look over. Pulse tucks his disassembled watch away, looking everyone over. Pogo lands near Oscar, "Yea." Pogo: It's broke. Morph hops down to the ground so that's possible before it happens. "Look at that. LOOK. AT. THAT." Pulse sees that Byron is behind a pillar, his suit is ripped and there's a blossom of red on his shoulder. He's trying to get Gravedancer to wake up. Morph: Where did they even -get- that? Glenn gives the area a glance from behind the pillar, then stands up, nodding to Ciaran. "Clear." Prodigy: It's a scrapped project of the US military. Morph: Scary, man. Ciaran nods and slowly approaches the tankbot, weapon raised. He looks it over. He calls back to Prodigy. "Aye, it even still has the markings. Right here. US ARMY." Morph looks over Pogo, checking to see if she's injured at all. From down deeper in the tunnels you hear an echoing cacophony of footsteps and frantic voices. Pogo is covered in hydraulic fluid. Pogo looks like she's attempting blackface. Morph glances around. He sniffs the air near her. "You should probably grab a shower, April." Glenn kneels down, looking at the markings. Prodigy looks over at Pogo. He purses his lips, but not in the usual 'I'm mad' way. Was he trying not to laugh? Pogo shrugs, "Yeah, y'think?" Morph glances over his shoulder towards the footsteps. "Aw, shoot. More!" Pogo sounds a bit angry. Pogo: Maybe you should hide some more, then. Morph goes to almost pat her on the shoulder reassuringly, then he sees she's covered in oil again and instead opts to go take cover behind a pillar. Pogo was more incoherent than that. She takes off and hovers near the ceiling of the room, just in case there are more guys Prodigy hides. Glenn stands up, folding his arms over his chest. "Who exactly are we dealing with here?" He glances at the others. Morph: SHHHH!!!! Pogo sucks at things Pulse: Others like us are approaching, I think. Pulse: They might not be happy to see us but they'll be happier to see what we've done. Someone yells out. "Don't tell me what to do, Ghosty." The group is in sight now. There are seven total. Each of them carrying what look like automatic rifles. "Okay, whoever's out there. We don't want any trouble. Just come out and we can all talk nice and peaceful ok?" Pulse vaguely indicates the busted robot and SILENCE cultists. Pogo flies over near Pulse. Gravedancer abruptly sits up, gasping for air. Morph: Oh, thank- Morph hops out of cover and waves to the new arrivals. "That sounds PERFECT, man!" Pulse rubs the interior corners of his eyes, then looks the other strangers over. A short, round man in his thirties addresses them. "The name's Sickbag. Who and what am I talking to?" Prodigy stays hidden, control in hand. Gravedancer rubs her face, looking over at the second group of strangers. Gravedancer then looks at the dead robot and all the SILENCE guys. She just kinda stares. Morph: Man, that's not a real na- Pogo looks at Pulse, still covered in goo. Glenn: Sickbag. I'm Glenn. I'm a salesman. We're looking to talk to some folks down here, to make an arrangement. Morph: - Uh. Yeah. I'm Morph! Are you guys hidin' out here? Morph: -- Yeah, what he said. Pulse looks Pogo over thoughtfully, then reaches out to pat at her arm experimentally. Sickbag is an average looking caucasian fellow with a thin moustache and glasses. His face and neck are soaked in sweat and his skin seems unhealthily pale. "This is our place, yeah. Hi Glenn. Morph. Look, your ghost friend. She says you're like us. So we got no grudge with each other right? I'm putting down my gun." Pulse gives the girl a sonic shower if her field's not up. Pogo mouths the phrase, "They call me ...GooGirl." before he does. Pogo is suddenly cleaner? Glenn's words seem to put the others at ease. Behind Sickbag is a naked woman whose entire body is glowing like a green lightbulb. Next to her is what looks like a cross between a man and a snail. Glenn lowers his rifle to a standard relaxed carry state. Morph: Sounds goo- Morph is just constantly interrupting himself. He stares at the lightbulb a bit. Prodigy peeks over at the glowing lady. "...Radioactive?" Pogo rolls her eyes. Pogo looks at all the boys, "Waddey calya, Miss BoyZappa?" Further back is a severely deformed woman jet black eyes and pointed teeth. Her back looks like there are abnormal growths beneath her clothes. Next to her is a teenage girl with a heavy cloth blindfold over her eyes. Behind her is a giant half-man, half lizard creature. And next to him is a familiar face... Clive: Whoa. Byron, izzat you? Pogo: drawd t'the lioyt an pop, zap, nomar boys... Morph finally tears his gaze away to eye Clive. "Oh, there you are! Man, what happened?" It's Clive, the strange feral Stranger most of the group first ran into on the night you met. He's gotten a lot hairier. Pulse never actually caught his name, because deaf. Pogo squints at Clive, who may have tried to shishkabob her. She can't recall. Clive: It's okay, I know these guys. We're all cool here. Pulse does wave at Clive, though. "Hello. How is your biting issue?" Pulse: I wanted to tell you, but you ran away. My mother wears a retainer for something similar. Morph: I was just gonna ask about that... Prodigy comes out of hiding, controller still in hand. The glowing woman straightens up at Prodigy's question. Her voice is smooth, clear and practiced. Like a radio host. "I'm not nuclear, hun. All safe here. Name's Lux." Morph looks over the rest of the crew, running a hand through his hair. Yikes. Freaks. Prodigy can see the irony in that name. Clive smiles. "Yeah, I'm working through the biting thing. It's easier down here." Lux starts point to the others and naming names. "The girl with the blindfold is Medusa. Next to her is Queen. Behind them is Salamander. Clive. Sickbag and Snail." Lux looks around the floor. "And uuuh, Sludge is somewhere in here. If you see a puddle of something slimy, don't freak out. He's friendly." Glenn: Lux. Are you their leader then? Morph: Not... Too friendly though, right? Pulse suddenly looks at Pogo, expression slightly panicked. Morph checks his shoes. Prodigy steps out with the rest of them, feeling safer with that little bit of knowledge. Pogo flicks a bit of goo off of her hair Sickbag looks offended. "I'm in charge right now." Pogo looks unbothered Glenn nods to Sickbag. "Apologies. We need to have a discussion then, if you don't mind." Gravedancer sits in the back, leaning on a wall. She does her best not to stare at the collection of people. That'd be RUDE Pogo stares, slack jawed and dull eyed. At Gravedancer. Sickbag nods. "Yeah, we got a place back further but uuuh...Sal, Snail. Round up these other guys, take 'em somewhere nice and far away. They're all out cold right?" Morph heads over to Lux, then. "So can you like, shoot lasers out of your eyes or fly or anything? That'd be pretty cool." Gravedancer: Uhm...is something on my face? Gravedancer looks incredibly uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Pogo: Yagettagud nappin? Lux lowers her head. " wish. All I got is being a flashlight." Pogo looks intensely comfortable, like she just peed the pool. She looks back at this Lux and Pukebag group, apparently losing interest in baiting the other girl Sickbag: Follow me. There's a place we can all sit and clean up ahead here. Gravedancer takes a moment to process that. She comes back a bit defensive. "No. I was busy talking to them and trying to convince them not to shoot you." Pulse: You might just need a focus. Normally I just vibrate, but I can channel it through a crystal and dish. Morph: Oh! Well. That's pretty awesome too. You really light up the room, y'know? Pulse demonstrates by blasting the shit out of the inert machine with his watch. Pogo looks at Oscar blankly. Glenn leans towards Ciaran, nods, but remains silent. Queen rasps out to Pulse. "Whoa, Tex. No need to show off." Lux nods and forces a breathy sort of giggle. "Yuuup. Heard that one." Pulse shrugs. "Just demonstrating the good a focal prism could do her." Pogo: Ey, sickbag, c'mere Pogo: Gotta hurl. Morph can't stop staring. They're glowing... Pulse: Also, please don't address me while my back is turned. I am deaf. Pogo is watching Oscar as she says this. Sickbag leads the way down the tunnel. "Uuuh, that's not really what I do." He speeds up a bit, trying to keep away from everyone very purposely. Pogo floats, because there might be a goo guy on the floor. Queen seems remorseful. "Sorry, didn't know. " Gravedancer trudges along after everyone, pulling her hood up before stuffing her hands into her sweatshirt pockets. She looks over at Byron."You okay?" Pulse grins, shaking his head at Queen. "I'm teasing. It's fine, I might just ask you to repeat yourself when I look at you is all." Pogo practically sneers at Oscar, Lux, and Queen when she looks between them. Pogo: Kenwe goo, gettit all done? Morph: -Huh? Pogo flushes, looking angrier. Pulse nods at Pogo. "Yeah. Byron, I think we should consider these tunnels." Glenn: Glad we are all in fine moods after that exercise, but I'd hate for another robotic beast to roll through. Morph: I, uh, think Glenn is talkin' to the Boss. Byron nods. "It's only a graze. I was just worried you were gonna get hit in that mess." Sickbag finally brings them to another of the columned chambers. This one has been furnished with recovered couches, tables, chairs and knick knacks. Strings of Christmas lights and bare bulbs hang down from the ceiling. It's looks like a squatter's home. A black blob thing is on one of the couches, jiggling. Sickbag: Home, sweet home. Morph is definitely walking with Lux, but he sees the blob. "That's Slimy, right?" Prodigy: I have the controller for the robot, by the way. Gravedancer smiles at Byron, rolling her shoulders. "I'd have been fine. Mostly." Prodigy adds. Prodigy: Forgot to mention that. Pulse: I saw. Do you want me to shear its joins so we can move it for study? Prodigy: That'd be brilliant. Boost looks at Pulse. "Consider them for what?" Pulse: Habitation. Or something like them, since this location is known to SILENCE. Pogo hangs around behind the others, taking the rearguard position when they finally move on Pulse: The city isn't using them, the club is a place but not a home, and the mobility a tunnel structure affords is 'a feature'. Sickbag welcomes them all in with a gesture. "Make yourselves comfy. We got food, beds. A buttload of guns for some reason." Sickbag points to several large wooden crates where AK-47 rifles are hanging out haphazardly. "You guys thinking of moving in or something?" Morph: I -just- got an apartment, man. Pulse: Merging communities in the face of the cult's existence is the most practical option. Boost: I don't think it's a bad idea I just...I'm accustomed to a certain level of...amenity. Pulse nods at Prodigy. "Caleb and I, and I'm sure others as well, can modernize things." Morph: And uh, shouldn't we ask first? Pulse: And Pogo's very good at creating a homey atmosphere. Boost: I'll take to the ball and chain. But I for one am going to have a hell of a time living here. Morph gestures at Sickbag pointedly. And looks t Lux. Gravedancer looks around at the place. "It's at least as good as my place." Pulse looks at Sickbag expectantly. Sickbag shrugs. "The more the merrier I say. But uh, I'm not really the boss in here. Just in charge right now." Lux: We should wait for Orc and Ollie before we promise anything. Morph: Who n' what? Lux looks at a clock on the wall. "They should have gotten back by now. Not a peep for twenty minutes." Pogo stays by the doorway, not going in. She seems to be moping after the fight ended. Sickbag: Orc. He and Sludge started this place up. He's a nice guy. Real gentle. And Ollie is uh...he's the fucking man. I think he was a Navy SEAL or something. The two of them went on a supply run, haven't come back yet. Ciaran: I think my brother and I can do a bit better than a sewer. Pulse shakes his head at Ciaran. "Try and have some vision. I am not proposing it remain a sewer." He looks at Sickbag, then at Pogo and the rest from their group. Morph: You guys have TV? Lux: It's not really a sewer anyway. It's a floodway. There's not any of the uuh...waste that's in a sewer. Sickbag: We're getting TV. Really soon. Really, really soon. I promise. Gravedancer: Where were they getting supplies from? Outside? Pogo glares down the hallway, acting like a bouncer or something. Glenn: This place isn't safe. It's got acceptable natural defenses, but the location is known. It's not viable. Pogo a BLIND bouncer Lux: Yeah. Ollie can telephone--err, teleport people and things. He and one other usually go out to get our stuff and port it back here. Prodigy: What do they look like? Morph: Oh, man. Now that's a pretty cool power. Sickbag: Orc is a big guy. About six-four. Green skin, pointy ears, face only a mother could love. Ollie is just, I mean he's not like the rest of us. He looks normal. Boost looks to Glenn. "I've interrogated a few of these cultists and from what I've gotten, the individual cells don't stay in touch. We should find one that's still kicking and ask if anyone else knows about this place." Pogo: Wattif ther ded? Pogo says it without caring if they are, her back to the room as she watches the hallway still. Prodigy: Not the best place to start. Have they told you if they have regular spots to go to? Lux rises up angrily. "They're not dead. They're just late. Ollie wouldn't let anyone stop him from coming back." Prodigy: And I knocked at least two out. Pogo: So? They do'em firs. Pulse: I don't mean to be pessimistic but if Ollie was caught by one of their grenades there's not much he could do. Sickbag: Ollie said he found some warehouse full of junk. Usually we just pinch grocery stores after they close. Small stuff, y'know? Prodigy: Any idea where this warehouse is? Lux: They can't catch Ollie, okay? Even the arm-- Lux stops herself. Clive: I'll go tell Sal not to eat those guys and bring one back here. Byron, feel like stretching your legs? Pogo turns and asks, "The army din..?" Clive follows Clive. "Sure, sure." Pogo: dwaah? Lux: Nothing. But they won't catch him. He's good. Pogo: Canyaenat coover yar bits, enawey? Gravedancer: But they could catch the other one, right? Pogo curls her lip at Lux, finally out-skanked Morph: Whoa, whoa whoa, guys. Morph: We're assuming the worst here. Morph: What if they're completely fine and just running late? Pogo: Becoos thewarst is ourfate. Prodigy: Morbid. Pulse: If you can teleport, and are rarely late, why would you ever be late? Lux looks like she's about to fly off the handle but Queen stops her. "I got nothing to hide, okay?" Sickbag tries to placate the group. I'm sure they'll be back any seco--" Pogo bares her teeth at Lux, it doesn't look like a smile. Morph: April, chill out! Pogo is still floating. She lands with a hard gust of air as she stalks across the floor and jabs a finger at Sickbag, not Lux for some reason, "Someone betta take meh tooem, the warhouse." A draft sweeps through the chamber and anyone looking near Sickbag at that moment sees a blurry distortion next to him. A blink of an eye later two men are standing there, one a large green fella with rough skin and large, protruding teeth. Leaning on him and apparently injured is a man in his twenties with a stern face, dangling from his left hand is an M-16. Glenn moves to Pogo, taking her by the arm and steering her away from the others, "Calm down, girlie. We need friendly chatter right now, yeah?" Pogo hops up into the air in shock, her field quite visible as she puts her forcefield on max holyshiiit mode. Pogo swats at Glenn halfheartedly, looking at the teleported in people. Lux backs down from the challenge and then turns to the new arrivals. "Ollie, you're late! And hurt!" Gravedancer jerks backwards herself from the teleportation in. "Gah!" Morph: -WHOA! Pulse is on Ollie's injury like *that*. Orc: We ran into some trouble. We uhh...who are all these guys? Ollie. gently backs away from Pulse apprehensively. "Whoa, whoa." Lux is on him a second later. "They're like us. They say they're friends." Pogo looks disappointed briefly that they're alive. Ollie stands up straight with considerable effort, he looks banged up. "It was commies. We've been down here too long. The Reds are invading up there." Prodigy: Comm- excuse me, what? Pogo drifts out of the room, loitering in the hallway again. She doesn't seem interested in Communists Morph: Pretty sure they're not invading, man. Gravedancer: I...what? Gravedancer looks bewildered. Morph: We were just up there, it's alright. Ollie: Russians, I think. Weird uniforms, the warehouse belonged to them. They had red all over them. Prodigy: ...Red masks? Ollie nods. "We fought them off. Burned their warehouse down. Asset denial." Pulse sighs. Prodigy: It was a cult, sir. Ollie: Like Hari Krishnas? Pulse: No. Prodigy: SILENCE, they're after you because of your mutations. Sickbag: There were more of them down here too, Ollie. I think it's the guys Clive told us about. The weirdos who after us Freaks. Gravedancer: They're why we came down here too. Morph: Yeah, that's them. They're bad news, man, believe me. Pulse gestures at Ollie. "You should sit down, let someone have a look at that injury." Orc: Don't need to tell us twice. They almost had us back at that warehouse. Ollie is the man though, you should've seen him. Pow! Pew! Orc deposits Ollie on the couch. "I don't suppose any of you are doctors?" Gravedancer shakes her head. Pulse: I read a book on medicine once. Pogo ignores the question, she's a teenager. Morph shrugs. "I took a Sports Med class." Morph: ... Couple of years ago. Ollie: It's fine. I think I just bruised it when the truck rolled over. Morph clearly has not been in high school for some time, despite his youthful bluster. Pulse: That's not a bruise. Lux: Truck rolled over? What the hell, Ollie? Pulse closes his eyes, holding his hand out at Ollie. Ollie could not be more noooope about this. "I don't really need someone to hold my hand right now, kid." Pulse is deaf and his eyes are closed. It's not a "hold my hand" gesture, it's more like he's just holding his hand out to touch something. Morph prods Prodigy. "Hey, you're the Doc, right?" Prodigy: Not yet, and if I was it would not be of medicine. I do know a little bit which could help, though. Ollie looks at Prodigy doubtfully and then opens up his shirt, exposing his chest. The ribs on the right side of his body are bruised up noticeably. Morph: Do your voodoo that you doo, then. Help him out, maybe he can help us. Ollie: What exactly do you guys want here? Prodigy moves on down to get a better look. "Got any medical supplies around?" Pulse lowers his hand. "There's no internal bleeding, at least." Hopefully that speeds Caleb's job up. Ollie: Lux brings Prodigy a first aid kit. The rib looks bad but you'll have to feel around to be sure. Prodigy nods to Pulse. "That's good. Nothing that'll kill him if we leave it, then. Best to do what what can be done, though. Probably some broken ribs." presses a thumb down lightly around and on the bruising. Gravedancer steps outside. She seems a bit squeamish about the whole 'broken rib' deal. Prodigy gives Lux a thanks as he goes about doing the whole treatment thing. Ollie winces as Prodigy starts feeling around his bruised side. The wound seems mostly superficial, no broken ribs, just heavy bruising. Prodigy: Huh. Tough guy. You'll be fine. Just a bit beat up. Ollie: Wonderful. Now explain what you're all down here for. Morph: We just wanna help is all. Sickbag: They came to help. Those cult guys were down here with like a tank or something. Prodigy gestures to everyone else, for them to explain. He backs away from Ollie. Pulse: There was a machine. Pogo floats back into the room, looking inordinately pleased with herself. Glenn: You should have a safer location for your people. Your site is known to your enemy, and they have already engaged in a breach of your defenses. Ollie nods to Glenn respectfully. Game respect Game. Ollie: He's right. If we're found out, we'll have to move. Boost and Clive arrive just then, with a beat up cultist in tow. "Let's ask this one what he knows first." Pulse strolls over to Pogo. "What's up?" Pogo sticks her tongue out, there's a postage stamp on it. Wtf, pogo Boost unceremoniously tosses the cultist into a kitchen chair and kicks him in the stomach. "Good morning, Sunshine." Pulse tilts his head and squints, clearly confused. Morph: Hey... Where'd the other guys go? Pogo spits the stamp on the floor somewhere, fuck it, this place is a dump anyway Clive: Sal and Snail are ... They're not gonna be a problem. Morph looks really uncomfortable. "... What's happening?" Glenn puts a hand on Pogo's shoulder and steers her towards a chair, "Wait it out, girlie." The cultist stirs upright in the chair. "Just kill me. I'm a dead man anyway." He starts sobbing. Morph: Whoa, whoa, what? Pogo laughs and lets Glenn do this, not really seeming like she cares. She just starts singing American Pie in her terrible accent. Pogo drove her chevy to the levee but the levee was dry SILENCE Cultist: I saw what was happening back there. That giant fucking freak was drowning the others in the river. You're gonna kill me, just ask me what you want to and get it over with. Prodigy: Dr- what? Morph: Wh- Where? Clive: It's them or us, man. Pulse pays really, really close attention to what this cultist is saying. Pogo: ...thissel betha deythaataye diee Morph: You can't do that, man! Where are they? Prodigy: So you -drown them in a river-?! Pogo doubles over, laughing at everything and nothing in particular Prodigy sounds -really- pissed. It's pretty weird to hear him get this mad. Clive: They came here to kill us. If we let them go, they'll bring more. Morph: Where are they? Boost: It was over by the time we got there. This is the only one left. Gravedancer looks unsettled, but she doesn't speak up. She's gone pale-looking. Boost puts a hand on Oscar's shoulder. "There's nothing to be done for it." Pulse: Yes there is. Pulse: You don't just let something like this slide, this isn't a slap on the wrist and mild scolding. Morph shrugs the hand off, he backs away a bit. Boost: What do you want me to do, Robert? Pulse: We're talking about murder, here. This wasn't death in open combat or warfare or anything, he drowned them. Ollie: Don't kid yourself, kid. They came to our house to murder us. That's genocide. We have to protect our own. Orc raises a protest. "This isn't what I started this place for Ollie. We can't kill people." Pulse: Don't talk to me like I'm some ignorant teen, Ollie. You're trapped in a delusional Cold War vision of the world. Pogo: Ayymen Pogo puts her hand out, and then looks at it while turning it back and forth in front of her. Sickbag tries to get everyone back to center. "Look, we can talk about this rationally once we figure out if we're safe or not. Let's talk to the guy we have left." Glenn shakes his head at Pulse. "Hippies." Morph shoves his hands in his pockets. "We're not killin' him." Salamander and Snail come back in. Sal's clothes are wet. Pogo wraps her arms around Glenn's waist and leans on him when he says hippies. It's like he was summoning her. Gravedancer glares daggers at the pair. Morph: I'm not budging, you'll have to go through me if you wanna do that. Ain't gonna make that easy either, man. Prodigy finally catches on. "Is April high?" Morph: Ask him questions, fine. Morph: But don- Morph: Huh? Pulse: Yes. Orc bellows out. His voice echoes through the tunnels. "EVERYONE SHUT UP." Pulse is deaf. Prodigy just closes his eyes and slowly brings his hands up to his face, rubbing his eyes. Pulse responds to a man shouting as only a deaf person can. Morph shuts his trap posthaste. Pulse: You seem upset. Orc: I am in charge here. I decide what's going on. We talk to him first and we're not killing him. Sal, when this is done we're having a long goddamn talk. Glenn peels Pogo's arms from around his waist and steps aside, holding a hand up in a "stop" gesture. Salamander looks around like he missed something and then clues in. He slinks off into a corner of the room like a child. Pogo looks staggered by the guy yelling. Ollie calms down. "You're in charge, Orc. Whatever you decide, I'm behind you." Boost: Can we all keep our heads for now then? Long enough to ask this bloke if we can expect company? SILENCE Cultist is still in the chair, his head hung low. He's trying to pretend he's not listening. Pulse: Also where they get their lists. This is important. Boost gestures to Pulse. "You want to take the lead on this? Could use a gentle touch." Pogo starts floating a bit, looking at Orc like she's trying to figure out what's wrong about his ogre-like appearance. Orc notices her staring, but doesn't make a big deal about it. He reaches out to the blob on the couch and it wraps itself around his arm and shoulder like a creepy parrot. Pulse looks at Boost very evenly. "I am not feeling especially patient right now. If he held back on me I can't guarantee I'll maintain my composure." Pulse heads on over to the cultist anyway, guess he wasn't kidding about feeling impatience. "Are any more of you coming?" Morph watches Pulse and his interrogation, seeming ready to cut in. SILENCE Cultist shakes his head. "You killed everyone in our cell. We were on our own on hunting duty." Pogo is slowly rotating over in the air, until she's belly up and floating. She's looking at Orc while upside-down now. Pulse: Where do you get your lists? SILENCE Cultist: Lists? Pulse: Your leadership knows where we live. How? "We know where YOU live." He points to Pulse and then Boost. "Everyone knows who you guys are now. This place we found on our own. We were following some police report about weird sightings near the river." Pulse: Don't fuck with me. You idiots knew many of our addresses before the club was in the news. Pulse isn't... really acting like himself? Pulse sighs, looking at Orc. "I think your man drowned the smart one. We won't get anything else from him worthwhile." Morph steps infront of Pulse and holds up a hand to stop him. "Man, calm down." Pulse: Hm? Oh. Don't worry, Oscar, everything is fine. SILENCE Cultist: This isn't like boy scouts. Cells operate independently. We're not supposed to communicate with each other. Pulse: I said I was done with you. Morph: HEY! Morph tries to snatch the watch or whatever out of Pulse's hands. Gravedancer: fidgets, rocking back and forth on her heels. "Was that really necessary?" SILENCE Cultist is knocked backwards with his chair, bumping his head on the floor. Pulse doesn't have a watch, don't be silly. Pogo clings against the ceiling, her field flickering with wild colors. She looks spooked. Lux looks up at Pogo. "Are you okay?" Morph grabs him bodily and pulls him away from the guy. "Whatever you're doing, you need to stop, man." Pogo is tasting colors right now, and she looks like it, too. Pulse: Oscar, please. See to Pogo, she's clearly out of sorts. Gravedancer mumbles. "If you keep it up, soon I'll be the only one that can talk to him." Orc: You people have been here five minutes and you've already turned this place into the colosseum. Dial it back or leave. I won't say it again. Glenn: We should go. Pulse turns to Orc. "You can't stay here. They're picking up band radio chatter about your activities in the area." Orc: I know, I know. But...look at us. Pulse: Whether we merge communities or not is between you and Boost. Other cells of theirs will find you if you don't move more cautiously. Orc makes a sweeping gesture out to his friends. "We can't exactly blend in." Morph lets Pulse go when he sees that he isn't blasting the guy anymore. Glenn: Would you rather blend in poorly or be dead? Pulse: If what I've done has been loud, sorry. I just don't need someone so obviously a simpleton butting in while we're trying to have an important conversation. All I did was knock him out. Orc: If we go out there, we are dead. It's easy for you, you still look like them. You can hide. We can't. Pulse gestures at the cultist when he says 'simpleton' because, really, who would wear that? Dummies, that's who. Morph: Whatever, man. Not cool. Pogo lands behind the SILENCE guy. She whispers in his ear. Glenn: Get your people, you're leaving. This isn't a request. Gravedancer: You can't just kick them out. It's their home! Glenn moves his gun from a relaxed position to a ready position. "It's time." Pogo starts laughing. Pulse: We need a place, for us. That's capital-U Us, as in we who weathered the Event. Glenn: It's their home now, but it's about to be their grave. Pulse: We can't continue skulking around or being hunted by clowns with guns. Orc pulls back, but Ollie steps up to defend him. "Don't order him or any of us around. You don't need to and it's offensive. So dial it back. You're right. It's not safe here. We have to leave. But we have to figure out where to go. Give us some time." Morph: Calm down! Calm down. Prodigy: Put it down. Prodigy moves to stand infront of Glenn, staring him right in the eye. "It's up to them if they leave." Prodigy moves to stand infront of Glenn, staring him right in the eye. "It's up to them if they leave." Pulse was just putting the finishing touches on Asteroid B for the group, iirc. Pogo half-falls and half-slouches in the guy's lap, pulling his mask up or off so that she can give him a kiss. Who the fuck knows why? She sure doesn't. Glenn looks at Prodigy briefly, then back at Orc. "The time for negotiation is over. Delaying the inevitable puts us all in jeopardy." Morph: April, get off of him, seriously. Morph tries to help her off. Ollie: Don't talk to him like that. We know what we need to do. And we're doing it. We have to get our stuff and FIND where we're going because I doubt you can find us another floodway to live in. Pogo goes for things inappropriate but possibly morphed away. nods to Glenn. "We're going to leave but Ollie is right. I'm not taking my people to anywhere that isn't safe." Orc nods to Glenn. "We're going to leave but Ollie is right. I'm not taking my people to anywhere that isn't safe." Pogo: Fook these freaks, lessgoo. cmoon Morph does his best to keep his composure. "-Heey, that's not okay. I'm gonna put you down on the couch, okay?" Ollie: Everyone take what you can carry with you. That's it. We have to go. Lux, help Medusa. Hop to it, people. Pogo: Yaleevin inna hool, cmon letsgoo... Pogo: elbows Morph to try to get him away. What a buzzkill. Glenn: We'll find a place for your people that's safe. Pulse: Make one, if we have to. Pulse looks at Boost thoughtfully. "What abilities do your people have? We may be able to collaborate effectively." Pulse asks this of Boost and Orc both. The other Strangers start to wander off to follow Ollie's order and pack up their few possessions. Glenn: We can get the details when we're out of the forest. Morph let's her go and sighs, taking the elbow in stride. What can one even do? Pogo starts giggling uncontrollably when they leave the room. Ollie puts a hand on Glenn's shoulder. "Hey, take it easy on them. They're civvies. We're not in the jungle anymore, Joe." Orc starts to list off. "I'm just sorta stronger now. Sludge is...a blob. He can do blob stuff." Gravedancer looks around. After a moment, she wanders over to Snail. "Excuse me...can you tell me where those other soldiers were?" Orc: Lux glows. That's it. We made sure. Queen is...there's no other way to say it. She has a hornets nest in her back. Sal is huge and can track a scent like crazy. Medusa...she's never really shown us what she does. But it's something to do with her eyes. She always keeps them covered. Glenn frowns when Ollie says that, "Danger doesn't respect borders." Pulse waves Prodigy and anyone else who's not busy throwing their belongings in a sack to think-tank this. Orc: Sickbag. Don't touch him. He's got every disease you can think of on a rotating daily schedule. Pogo joins them with mock seriousness on her face. Orc waves to Gravedancer. "Snail don't talk. He's just...weird looking. Doesn't bother people." Morph cringes at the sound of Sickbag. Orc: That's us.That's what we got. Prodigy: moves on over to Pulse, crossing his arms. Gravedancer: Oh. Clive goes to Gravedancer. "I'll show you, if you want to see." Gravedancer: nods. "Thanks." She gestures. "After you." Ollie: I can scout out some new places for us. If you'll put us up somewhere safe for the night. Pulse looks at Boost. "And us? You and Sonny never did fill me in on who all we have - I know we're a lot." Pulse: This may be an outrageous suggestion, but we may be able to build ourselves an island. In theory. Pogo stares at Pulse in the awe that only the truly stoned can manage Morph seems utterly lost by this suggestion. "What are you smoking?" Boost shakes his head and takes Pulse aside. The other Strangers hussle around them, trying to get the hell out of dodge. At least they're safe and the ambush was stopped. Mission successful! Sorta! To be continued! Category:Session Logs